


i missed me more

by AslansCompass



Series: Eros in Absentia [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Aromantic, Asexual, Asexual Character, Gen, Internalized Acephobia, aroace, aroace character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:35:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26242780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AslansCompass/pseuds/AslansCompass
Summary: Being an unclaimed demigod is tough. Mandy Palmer thought Percy's reward would make life better; even the shittiest human parent was supposed to pay child support.She should have known better. When the thick red haze faded away, Mandy stood frozen, itchy makeup covering her cheeks, jeans replaced by a floor-length skirt,  teetering on four-inch heels. Crap!Aphrodite.Fucking Aphrodite!(Being aroace is hard enough. Being an aroace daughter of Aphrodite is a waking nightmare)
Series: Eros in Absentia [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1913581
Comments: 20
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [don't wanna break down (but i'm feeling low)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22088938) by [Word_Addict](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Word_Addict/pseuds/Word_Addict). 



> I was rereading the Percy Jackson books because I'd heard that Reyna was aroace, and it got me thinking about how hard being aroace would be in a world where an actual /love goddess/ could show up out of the blue.

The worst. 

This was the actual worst day of Mandy Palmer's life.` 

Worse than the day Mom disappeared.

Worse than the day Dad was hit by a truck (at least, that's what she thought at the time. In hindsight, it probably wasn't a truck at all. The Mist could even fool demigods, especially demigods who didn't know.)

Worse than the Battle of Manhattan. 

Those were all _things that happened._ Things that _ended._

"Whoa!"

"Cool!"

"Amazing!"

Goodbye, Mandy Palmer. Hello, _daughter of Aphrodite._

The thick red haze had faded away, replaced by stinging, angry, unshed tears. Mandy stood frozen, itchy makeup covering her cheeks, jeans replaced by a floor-length skirt, teetering on four-inch heels. Crap!

Someone whistled. A boy called out something about a date. 

No, no, no. 

She ran away from the firepit, into the woods. Despite the dim light and the heels, she didn't stumble or trip, only stopping when she could barely see the firelight. Most of the local monsters had been slain in Manhattan, but old habits die hard; 'stay close enough to call for help' had been drummed into her since her first day at Camp Half-Blood. 

Out of all the Olympians, she'd never dreamed that her mother would be _Aphrodite_. Athena, yes. She'd spent months giving her mealtime offerings to Athena, staring wistfully at table six. She'd heard they had a huge library inside, bigger than anything she'd ever seen. Or maybe Demeter. Sure, Mandy broke out in hives every spring, but it wasn't completely impossible. Or maybe one of the minor goddesses; Clio, muse of history. Hebe, goddess of youth. Tyche, goddess of luck. 

But fucking Aphrodite! 

Mandy wasn't sure whether to scream, laugh, or cry. 


	2. Chapter 2

Mandy shuffled up to cabin eleven, carefully avoiding a creaky board. Even with new cabins being built, no one seemed to consider remodeling the older ones. She pushed the door open and made her way down to her bunk.

The lumpy mattress and scratchy blankets were piled at the foot; her locker was empty. 

She shook Julia awake. "Hey, where's my stuff? Did you take it, again?"

"Mandy? You're supposed to be in ten now. We moved all your stuff over already." Julia rolled over and buried her face in the pillow.

Oh. Right.

Ten. 

At least they'll have better beds. At least, she hopes so. 'Beauty sleep' and all that, right? Mandy sighed. "Well, thanks, I guess." She headed outside and across the camp to cabin ten. In the moonlight, the pink walls and checkerboard deck are merely grey, not an oversized dollhouse. 

She paused to knock on the door. 

No, this was her cabin now. Mandy reached for the doorknob. Before she could open, it swung inwards, spilling light into the night.

"So, you're my sister, I guess."

"Hi....um...." Who'd taken over from Silena after the battle? She'd never really paid attention to that kind of thing. 

"Drew Taneka, head counselor." Drew looked Mandy over from head to toe. "She really went whole hog on you, didn't she? If I hadn't been there, I wouldn't have recognized you now. You look almost..." Drew paused. "Well, come along."

Mandy followed Drew inside. 

"As the newest, you'll be last on the shower schedule. I keep telling them we need more bathroom space, but apparently that's not a priority. And no 'borrowing' makeup; I know Hermes' kids have a lax view of ownership, but that won't fly here. Once you've passed your initiation--"

"Initiation?" Mandy interrupted. Did all the cabins have that? Hermes hadn't--but that was when everyone got stuffed in there.

"Well, more of a rite of passage, actually. Get someone to fall in love with you, and then break their heart. Extra points for doing it in public, though you won't be able to match me."

"But I--"

"Of course, you can't start until Mom's blessing wears off. It'd be too easy, otherwise. It's gotta be all you." 


	3. Chapter 3

Pink. Everything, everywhere, was pink. Mandy pulled her sheets over her head, tinting the morning light. Ugh! 

The bed was better, at least. For starters, it was an actual twin bed, not a cot on wire springs and metal frame that went _eeeeee_ every time someone turned over. And the sheets, although pink, were smooth and reached all the way to the end of the bed. Even the pillows were actual pillows, not rejected targets from the archery range. Okay, the last was just her opinion, but at least the targets had a little give to them.

Maybe she could snitch a few for Julia. She wasn't that bad, after all. Always shared the spoils from kitchen raids, even if it meant only a few bites for everyone. 

"Alright, everyone, up and at em," Drew yelled. "Straighten up before breakfast. Mandy, clean the shower when you're done."

* * *

"Mandy, I saved you a seat," Valentina called, catching her before she walked past the table. "Okay, I know you can't start your mission yet, but let's get a good start."

"Mission?" Mandy blew her bangs out of her eyes. She hadn't even needed to comb her hair today--a very, very small upside to the insta-makeover. On the other hand, maybe people would actually start explaining things if she had bags under her eyes. 

"The whole heartbreaker deal. Got any crushes? The rest of the cabin is off-limits, of course, but anyone else is fair game. I went for Michael--that poetry, the flying chariot, you know? It was fun while it lasted. So, which boys do you like?"

"None." At least, not _like_ like. It was hard enough just staying alive most days. Getting into a relationship? Um, no.

"Oh. Do you like girls, then?"

"I--er--not like _that_!" Good luck keeping--or making-- any friends if they thought she was just interested in romance. It was hard enough making it clear to boys that, no, I really do want a friend. Just a friend. No need to add that wrinkle to conversations with girls.

"It's no big deal, honestly. I don't know where you came from, but nobody here gives a fuck about that kind of thing. In fact, you could say it's a tradition. Have you read some of the older myths? There's this one dude who got turned into a girl and then back again. And another story--"

Mandy nearly choked on her toast. "No, that's not it. Not at all. I just....flirting... I don't get it."

"Well, it's easier if you like the person, but that doesn't make it impossible. Just think about what you'd do for someone you actually have a crush on. Who's your favorite celebrity?"

Finally, a straightforward question. "Arthur Darvill. He was in Doctor Who and Legends of Tomorrow," she added, before Valentina could ask for clarification. 

"Okay. So, if Arthur Darvill was here, right now, what would you do?"

"Ask him for stories about filming with Karen Gillan and Matt Smith. And make lame jokes about Rip Hunter being Rory Williams."

"What if he was surrounded by a crowd? How would you get him to notice you?"

"I'd ask him what he thinks of the food here. Or offer to show him around."

Valentina rolled her eyes. "Dude, that's just being friendly!"

And? Mandy wanted to say. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had the whole "which boys do you like? none?/do you like girls" conversation on, like, my second day of high school. Still makes me cringe, just thinking about it.


	4. Chapter 4

Mandy sank into her chair. Class wasn't starting for another half hour, but at least the room was quiet. Stupid Drew and her Shoes of Shame! Sure, they were kinda ugly, but they were sturdy and comfortable. Plus, they kept most of her cabin mates away. As far as they were concerned, being seen without makeup was a class one felony.

"Hey.... Mandy, right?"

Mandy looked behind her. One of the other kids sat slumped over his desk. At first, she wasn't even sure if he was awake.

"Could you help me with that paper? I keep falling asleep in class." 

Oh, one of Hypnos' kids. Clover? Dandelion? Something like that. "Sure, when would you like to meet?"

"I was thinking after supper, maybe grab a few snacks and hang out a bit." He yawned again. "That is, if I can stay awake."

"Sure."

Angie slid into the next desk. "Dude, you just got a date! Now you can pass your test and get back on Drew's good side."

As if she cared. "He said he needed help with his paper."

"He _said_ he wanted to grab snacks and hang out! That means a date."

"Dates are like, going to the movies and stuff."

"We don't exactly have coffee shops around here. At least he's not from cabin nine. They tend to think wielding is a romantic evening. I dated Jake once, but that was awful. It took me hours to get the smell out of my hair." 

Mandy turned back to the boy. "Were you asking me on a date?"

He half-opened one eye. "Sorta.... I guess..."

"Nope. No way, un-huh!" 

"Okay, I guess.... but I still could use some help with the homework."

Mandy rolled her eyes. "Just don't sleep through class, for starters."


	5. Chapter 5

Not that she'd tell anyone, but Mandy was almost glad Percy was missing. _Almost._ Not that she wanted him to get eaten by a hydra or drowned in the Styx, but it wasn't like he'd disappeared _from_ camp. And honestly, a son of Poseidon out in the mortal world? There's risks and then there's foolishness. Not that she'd know anything about it. She hadn't had so much as a day at the mall since coming to camp. 

She watched as the Hunters got up from their table and made their offering. Chiron had summoned them as soon as he heard about Percy's disappearance. For now, they were just examining the perimeter and setting up additional defenses, but Thalia was already planning on sending search parties too. 

"Still obsessed?" Drew smirked. "Why don't you just marry them and be done with it?"

"Don't you have anything better to do?" someone else asked. 

"Such a waste, really. She's a daughter of Zeus. Imagine the potential!"

"As if you ever had a chance!" 

"I wouldn't mind getting to know some of them a little better."

"And get kicked out or turned into a deer? No thanks. I've heard how Artemis treats people who mess with her Hunters." 

The conversation rolled on, turning into a debate on which divine punishments were the worst. Mandy quickly finished her soup and headed off to the shore. A few water nymphs were playing tag. Still, it was private enough.

"I could," she whispered. "I could join the Hunters. _I turn my back on the company of men...."_ That part was easy enough. But on the other hand, the Hunt....the only reason she'd survived Manhattan was that they hadn't put her on the front lines. 

She took her dagger from its sheath and turned it over. Fighting wasn't her strong suit. Neither was strategy. She wasn't even that good with healing. Pretty much the only useful skill she could offer was cooking. Not the qualities of a great Hunter. 

Even the immortality part wasn't that appealing. Spending the rest of her life too young to get a driver's license? Trekking across the country in all sorts of weather? Fighting monsters that would just come back in a few decades?

But what other options were there? Were there any options? She couldn't think of any old demigods, at least not modern ones. Was there, like, a retirement home out there for half-bloods? It wouldn't be very crowded. And she couldn't imagine Drew getting old. It would totally ruin her looks. 

"Hey, you!" Someone called. "Aren't you supposed to be in class right now? It's not safe to be hanging out alone."

"Yah, yah," Mandy muttered. "I'm coming."


End file.
